Pooped

I'm so glad tomorrow is Friday! This has been the longest week EVER. Mostly because I'm all caught up at work so all there is to do is work on changing some old files over to some new folders which is beyond mind numbing. I listen to Podcasts while I do it usually but I'm all caught up on those too!

Last week I was in Davis all week for a new employee training. Which is funny since I've been a contract employee for 9 1/2 years. What's even funnier is that we took field trips to places I've already been and stopped for people to buy souvenirs in Lodi, which is where I graduated High School.

There was only about five people there from California, the rest were mostly from North Dakota, one from Montana (she was a lot of fun!), two from Florida, one from Washington State and one from ALASKA! So really I was kind of the minority for a few things. One being I was over the age of 30, a woman, and from the area. Also my co-worker and I had JUST went to another week long (well 4 days) training 2 weeks earlier in you guessed it, Davis (and even in the same room).

The first training we went to was called Managing for Excellence and was kind of about personalities and how to get along with others and "manage" people. We did this little test thing to find out what kind of personality we were and I was a "Dominant" personality. Go figure haha. My 2nd highest was the "C" which is a lot of me too. What was funny about this training was that there was like 5 of us that had the same job position and all but one were Dominant. Goes to show what works best in that position, eh?

So back to last week's "New Employee" training. The training started at 12:30 on Monday so Justin and I drove up after working for a couple hours in the office. We had lunch and then went into the meeting room. They had name signs on the tables so we had to sit in our assigned seats. Kind of a bummer but it did make you talk to the people around you all week. The guy to my left was named Howard and he was a young (31), and yes I knew most people's ages by the time we left, guy who I just know is going to make something of himself some day. He was talking about going to law school so he could get paid more money for stuff he's already learning about. 

The guy on my right was really quiet and I actually never did talk to him much. He was a newly wed (26 or 28) and had a new house and lots of toys. The only time I really connected to him at all was when we had to do activity where I was blind folded and he had to tell me what to do. Then it was back to being quiet at the table.

After the first day which was learning about who the agency got started (The Dust Bowl-we watched a video from PBS that I've actually seen before but was more interesting now) we were free to go to the hotel. This training was a lot better than the last one because everyone made an effort to hang out together. We were quiet a bit away from where we stayed last time so everyone was coordinating driving the vans that we could use and who wanted to go where. 

But first I checked into the hotel, which was nice. (Hampton Inn & Suites in West Sacramento)

Then a bunch of us jumped in some vans and they drove towards Old Sacramento. We were not the lead car so I couldn't give any input but they ended up parking in a garage. Everyone started walking away from Old Sac and I was like um do you guys know where you are going because there is a lot more stuff OVER THERE. (There's that D trait) Everyone turned around and we walked over to Old Sac and half of us went to Joe's Crab Shack. I was still trying to avoid eating flour items (but not totally gluten free) so I ended up getting this bacon wrapped shrimp that was stuffed with cream cheese and jalapenos. So good! I gave away the hush puppies of course. 

A lot of people got the buckets of sea food but that was too spendy for me. This was our table, the only group pic I took. 

Mira, Harold that I was talking about before, Mark, Janet from Montana, Heather who works in Petaluma and I bonded with at the last meeting, me, Justin and Tye (but it had some other spelling)

After dinner we came back to what was our hang out for most of the week. This long counter like bar that was in the lobby of the hotel (they said it was ok for us to hang out there).

I can't remember the guy's name behind the candle thing but he can drink A LOT of beer.

The next day we all piled in to the vans and got driven back to the training. I may have wanted to wear my sunglasses inside for a bit..

Neighborhood Easter Egg Hunt

I helped out a bit again this year and went down and stuffed the Easter Eggs for the big egg hunt they do down at the campground for all the neighborhood kids.

Inappropriate laughter for packaged eggs.

After stuffing the eggs I may have went into the bar and ate a basket of these new "chips" they have in there along with a couple drinks with Scott.

Saturday I went down and took some pictures.

I didn't have any kids participating but wanted to put some pictures on the Club Facebook Page.

The "little kids" lined up

and they're off!

My friend Traci with her Grandson Marcus

The "middle age" kids. I watched one girl run all the way to the end and get a ton of eggs while the rest worked their way down there lol

and then finally the "big kids"

The Easter bunny arrived on the back of a golf cart

Kids got some "prize tickets" in some of the eggs

And free hot dogs!

The kids had a ton of fun and I got a little bit more sun to add to my base burn of the summer.

Easter Blur

I have a ton of catching up to do again because I've been so BUSY! I swear life is just constantly taking over my "I just want to lay on the couch" time.  I'll start with Easter and then go backwards to catch up!

The kids and I dyed Easter eggs Saturday night. I may have tapped out after about 4 and told them to text me a picture when they were done because it was after 9:30 and I couldn't even keep my eyes open. I had went to a work training for the whole week before and then had to do party prep stuff all day Saturday)

Those eggs may have still been on the table when I got up in the morning. I swear nothing gets done right if I'm not supervising. Scott said we wouldn't die and we put them in the fridge. No one seemed to keel over so I guess he was right.

Sunday morning Scott made us waffles (per my request since I hadn't eaten them in like a month as I was trying to go flour free until Easter) and then I spent the rest of the day having a mild stomach ache go figure.

Then it was onto cleaning like a crazy person and trying not to lose my shit but not being successful because my husband likes to do things like fix a fountain that's been sitting there for 4 plus years instead of cleaning the tables and chairs that people are actually going to use. My friends all assure me that this is just a man thing lol. 

I put together kebobs for an hour and Scott BBQ'd them. We have a TON left. I was going to make stir fry for dinner tonight but decided to eat left over nachos instead. Priorities. Now for a ton of cute pictures! My sister in law brought her nice camera so the really good pictures are hers ;) I'll keep most of the pictures smaller to help the page load faster. Just click on them if you want to see them bigger.

This is my cousin Robert who my mom is taking care of right now.

The kids were playing with a kite. I missed this part because I was making 1000 kebobs

Egg hunt

After dinner we went for a little bike ride. Scott and I started out on the tandem but the tire blew out (LOUDLY!) While we were moved over to the side my MOM RODE A BIKE right by me. I have never seen my mom on a bike. 

She bailed on us though and rode home. 

I started walking and Scott went home and brought me back another bike. The kids wanted to go to the playground so we went there for a bit.

Robert managed to only take a couple breaks with his scooter. Zoom Zoom

Swing time

and some cake and ice cream to celebrate Melissa's birthday with the family. Her birthday is April 8th but we always do it on Easter to cut down on the parties for the family.

I have a few more but that covers most of it ;)

Badger Cove Mud Disaster "Run"

So it's been raining here quite a bit lately. I signed up for the Badger Cove 10k run out at Del Valle awhile back so I was like ehhh if it's raining when I get there I'll just downgrade to the 5k. It wasn't raining so I stuck with the 10k, along with everyone else that I carpooled with.

Isn't my shirt cute? I got it at Target.

About ten minutes into the course I was regretting that decision. Holy freaking mud. I was like what the hell am I doing? I am not this hard core. Slipping, sliding, trying not to fall for six and a half miles. I pretty much walked most of the "run".

I stole this picture from someone. That "stream" was the trail haha. I actually saw quite a few people running through the stream. All I could think is that they must have really good health insurance ;)

The first part of the run is the flatter part and then once you get to where the 5k is almost done you go UP UP UP the hill. The part that wasn't mud was pretty.

I was taking a picture of the cows that just look like ants in this picture...

This is what most of the run looked like

That was not dry. WET and sucking your shoes while you slid around.

I was so paranoid of falling. Eventually I DID fall. It didn't hurt (at the time) and after that I was thinking I wish I had done that earlier to get it over with!

There was two points in the race where I really debated "cutting it short". That 5k split and then the spot right before I fell where it split off from "going up hill" and "going back toward the finish". I literally stood there for a minute and debated. Then I fell on my ass. Karma sure wasn't very nice to me for taking the long route.

I remember at one point I was thinking that a Big Mac sure sounded good. I don't even eat McDonald's anymore so I don't know where that came from. Then I started thinking of the It's Its that they always have at the finish and told myself if I made it through without giving or dying I could go off my no flour and no sweets for one of those. That thing tasted so damn good when I was done!

I should probably wash my shoes, they are still in a plastic bag.

Longest 10k ever.

Today my upper right arm really hurts. My neck, butt and legs don't feel much better. Self torture... My friend Heather took a bunch of pictures but she hasn't posted them. She dropped her phone in the mud right before we left. It was still working at that point but I'm wondering if the mud killed it. If not I'll share the pictures once she posts them.